Stage 2 Hybrid
Basic Information
Anatomy
Stage 2 Hybrids are bipedal humanoids with bilateral symmetry; they have two legs and two arms. Physically they look like teddy bears, having fur of various colors, roughly ursine heads, large hands and feet with claws like bears.
They also have larger patches of dragon-like scales in relatively unobtrusive locations, most of which can be hidden by clothing. Their tails are slightly truncated versions of a dragon's tail. It isn't uncommon for a Stage 2 to have scales around their eyes, though, and occasionally they will have facial or jaw spines, or crown horns. Those who do are generally placed in occupations where they only deal with other Hybrids or Dragons, so as not to cause concern or panic among the populace.
Their blood is very much that of their dragon parent, and they have the typical genital configuration for an Obsidian, though they are always of one sex or the other. It is exceptionally rare for a Stage 2 Hybrid to be an intersexed hermaphrodite, like their dragon parent.
Biological Traits
The average Stage 1 Hybrid lives 30000 to 50000 years.
Genetics and Reproduction
Stage 2 Hybrids have differentiated sexual dimorphism, generally referred to as male and female.
Male genitalia consist of a long, thick penis concealed in a cloaca that is just behind where their legs meet their tail. They have no external genitalia, including the scrotum, as everything is inside their cloaca. The penis does have a knot, and many small nodules and nubs to stimulate their partner while mating. In every way it seems to be similar in shape, size and function to a dragon's, including being prehensile.
Females have a cloaca in the same location as males, as well. They have no penis, and while their clitoris is normally sized for a female, it can become erect during mating, and is somewhat prehensile. When mating, females sometimes try to slip their clitoris into the "wrong hole" to stimulate their partners into greater ejaculations.
Stage 2 Hybrids are the product of matings between and Obsidian and a Stage 1 Hybrid, a Stage 1 and a Stage 2 Hybrid, or between two Stage 2 Hybrids. When a Stage 1 Hybrid mates with an Obsidian the result is either a Stage 1 Hybrid, or, more likely, a Stage 2 Hybrid. Stage 1 and 2 Hybrid pairings nearly always result in a Stage 1 Hybrid offspring, but there is a small change they will produce a Stage 2 Hybrid. When two Stage 2 Hybrids mate the result is even odds between the offspring being a Stage 2 Hybrid or a Shifter.
They are oviparous, always siring or laying a single egg. When a male sires with a dragon, another dragon will mate with their dragon, too, to produce a proper brood of a size that won't draw attention from normal citizens. A single egg being laid is seen as a very unlucky sign.
Growth Rate & Stages
Like Zanth, Stage 2 Hybrid cubs are born blind and deaf, mostly helpless, and needing a great deal of care. When they hatch from their eggs it is impossible to look at the newly fledged cubs and determine their sexes. As both male and female Stage 2 Hybrids have cloacae, their sexes have to be determined in a more "traditional" manner, and one of the attending elders will insert a finger into the cub's cloaca to determine the presence, or lack thereof, of a penis. If one is found, the cub is treated as male until maturity when any hermaphroditic traits will be made more obvious.
Hybrids are devoted parents, and both the male and female take an active role in child rearing. Females do not need to nurse their cubs, as the eggs they hatch from provide all the nutrients they need. They only need to be cared for until about three months when their eyes and ears open and they can see and hear. Until that time, they can only understand their world through their psionic senses, which are still quite potent.
Hybrid cubs cannot be raised along side normal Zanth cubs, both because of their physical differences, and because of their elevated status among the dragons they serve. While normal Zanth serve Obsidians in a general sense, often by producing labor for the industires overseen by their dragon patrons, Hybrids serve the Obsidians directly, usually in a capacity that allows them discrete access to the dragon they might have bonded with, if any, or a direct relative of their dragon parent.
Special Note: Hybrid cubs, however, will never know which dragon is their parent because that isn't the dragon way. While the parent might take an interest from time to time, they don't even pay much attention to their dragon offspring. This is not to say they don't care. It's just dragons take a much longer view of time, and the day-to-day is of almost no impact to them. Thus, they only care about something when they need to, or have time to do so. Still, they cherish all of their offspring, and if they fond out one has been harmed or killed... well, there's a reason that a dragon's wrath is feared.
Hybrid cubs become sexually mature around the age of 1000, when they are considered adults. As Stage 2 Hybrids are raised separately from the normal Zanth communities, they are brought before the elder Hybrids and Shifters of the Palace community where they are made to swear their first blood oaths to the Obsidian Throne and their community, in that order, resulting in their first oath scars. Following their swearing in, the community celebrates their coming of age with a very chaotic and hedonistic party at which the newly fledged Hybrid will experience their first true sexual encounters, usually with both sexes and possibly species. As with normal Zanth, there is no taboo against homosexuality.
Following their sexual maturation, a Hybrid will have attained their full stature and mass, and they will be assigned a position or delegated to receive more training. Those who have particularly useful abilities or skills will be taken on as Agents of the Obsidian Throne and trained as part of the diplomatic corp, assassins, or interrogators. For a Hybrid, especially a Stage 2, there are many avenues for advancement with the Obsidians that are not open to even their Stage 1 kin.
Ecology and Habitats
Stage 2 Hybrids serve the Obsidian Throne in a most direct manner, usually in the Courts or the offices of the Ministers and Administrators. They swear a blood oath to the Throne, the Emperor, the House of Obsidian and the Empire, in that order. The specific wording of the oath makes it clear that their duty to the Throne is only to one who sits upon it legitimately, having proven that they have the undisputed right to declare themselves the Emperor. This duty bleeds directly into the second, which is to the Emperor himself. His word is law, and by his word they act without question. In a more limited fashion, they serve all Obsidians and any Obsidian can give a Hybrid an order that they will do their best to fulfill, unless already under orders from a higher source. And lastly, they serve the Empire in any capacity they can, often in the military, fighting alongside Rubies, and in the Court, as ministers and administrators with and/or under the Jades. Because of their oath to the Empire, they do not posture with the Jades, as the Jades are also acting in accordance with Her will, and they are, therefore, compatriots and equals.
For their part, the Jades also see the Hybrids as worthy equals, even more so than their normal Zanth kin. The Hybrid's dragon blood affords them a great deal of respect. There is no cause for envy, ego, or jealousy. Jades are above such petty concerns. They only care is someone isn't capable of performing their duties.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Stage 2 Hybrids are no longer obligate carnivores. Their bodies are draconic enough that they can now consume just about anything for energy, and some have been known to "recharge" by spending time in the sun, like Obsidians. While they don't metabolize sunlight in the same way, they do take in the warmth and use it to both fuel their metabolisms, and keep them out of cryogenic torpor.
Stage 2 Hybrids do not react to alcohol, and because their internal body temperatures are even higher than Stage 1 Hybrids, they cannot get truly drunk. However, they can become intoxicated by strong spices like cinnamon, like Obsidians.
Biological Cycle
Stage 2 Hybrids are hot-blooded creatures, like their normal kin, and when the weather gets colder, they also become more lethargic. They do not enter into a true hibernation state, but they are able to sleep for extended periods without the need for food, water, or movement. Their bodies will slow significantly, to the point where they will only be active for a few minutes every few weeks. Raising the temperature of their environment will increase their activity levels, and bring them back to normal rates. This is a common trick used by pyrokinetic Hybrids to elevate their body temperatures so they can stave off hibernation.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Stage 2 Hybrids do not share the same cultural upbringing as their normal cousins, and have a more draconic social order, placing Obsidians at the top, then other dragons alongside themselves, and everyone else, including their normal kin below them. This is not to say they look down on anyone. It's just that when a Hybrid must decide between several authorities, this is how they will decide who to follow, and how quickly to get something done.
Facial characteristics
Stage 2 Hybrids have ursine faces, with broad skulls, small muzzles, and large fangs capable of crushing bone. Their eyes are average sized for their faces, and they have a good field of view. Their noses are wide and typically dark in color. Their eyebrows are expressive, but aren't extremely obvious. Their lips cover their fangs completely, and when in an aggressive stance, their tend to bellow ferally for intimidation. Some Stage 2 Hybrids have patches of scales around their eyes, behind their ears, or around their necks. They might also have jaw and facial spine or crown horns.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Stage 2 Hybrids are almost always found on Lair, in the Throne and Market districts. They are always engaged in Courtly business, exclusively as administrators and ministers.
Average Intelligence
Stage 2 Hybrid intelligence is on par with human normal.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Zanth have extremely sensitive hearing from subsonic, visual sensitivity in the visual and ultraviolet ranges, and fairly sensitive senses of touch, taste and smell. Zanth engage in blood oaths, but do not have any particular advantages in nociception.
All Zanth are telepaths. They have specific advantages common across all of the species, though they tend to be sensitive to biological states, like emotional stress, biological stress, pregnancy, and injuries. The only special advantage they have is the ability to know at a glance if someone has broken their word. This is a concern for them only when its another Zanth.
Stage 2 Hybrids are considered active psionics, and often have physical manifestation abilities like Jumping or Telekinesis. Those who don't have powerful sensitive class abilities like Oracle and Psychometry.
Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms
Stage 2 Hybrids are considered to have a symbiotic relationship with Obsidian dragons. They have a need to serve their dragons partners, and in return receive a great deal of authority and protection from them. Additionally, individual Hybrids have a personal connection to specific dragons, and their bonding is stronger and much more intimate.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Stage 2 Hybrids share the same naming conventions as their normal kin.
Male names tend to be breathy, containing h's and x's in locations to emphasize the hard exhale part of the name. Examples include Mikh (/micah/), Kohr, and Alexander.
Female Zanth names tend to sound pleasant or soft. Examples include Tylora and Raina.
Adults do not receive their names until they reach the age of majority. When they have sworn their First Oath, they are officially named by their elders, who also assigns them to their first position. Until then, cubs make up their own names, and their parents have names for them as well, which might differ from those bestowed by the elders, though only rarely and only if there is a good reason not to use their family name.
Beauty Ideals
Stage 2 Hybrids are drawn to dragons, and so that is what they find attractive and beautiful. They specifically seek to find the dragon who can smell their unique scent, but are willing to partner with other Zanth, Hybrids and/or Shifters until that happens. When they are being sought out as a mate by a non-dragon, dressing in the manner of dragons, including makeup and coloring, goes a long way to attracting their attention. This goes for both males and females.
Gender Ideals
Stage 2 Hybrids have very open-minded ideas concerning gender and roles in relationships. As they are all seeking a dragon to mate with, the typical notions of sexuality and gender are somewhat more fluid than is typically normal. Consequently, when they are partnering with a non-dragon while they find their dragon bondmate, they do not worry about gender or sexual orientation. Indeed, a Hybrid will be as happy in a relationship with one of his or her own gender and be childless as they would in a heterosexual relationship with dozens of offspring. Unlike their normal cousins, status is determined by the dragons they serve, and not their virility as breeders. The only breeding they care about is with their dragon bondmate, should they find him.
Courtship Ideals
The courtship ritual works the same for Stage 2 Hybrids as it does for normal Zanth. The only real difference is the more readily available amount of Obsidians for the Hybrid to interact with, and thus greater chance to find their dragon.
Relationship Ideals
As stated previously, Stage 2 Hybrids don't worry about large families so much as finding their dragon and having at least one Hybrid or Shifter cub with them. Any other cubs they may have will be well cared for and loved, of course, but they are not the reason for the relationship. The partner with non-dragons only for social reasons, and to keep from being lonely. When one member of a partnership finds their dragon, the other will often stand witness to their mating, and keep them as their partner to masquerade as the other parent so that questions are not asked about the dragons.
Average Technological Level
As Stage 2 Hybrids came about as a result of integrating with the Obsidians, the only technology level they have ever known is that of the Empire.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Stage 2 Hybrids speak the language of the Zanth, a deep, growling language that contains many words unpronounceable by humans. They also speak High Draconic, many of the human languages, and some Amboran tongues. Because Zanth society is so uniform in the Empire, there is really only one language they use.
Common Dress Code
Like Zanth, Stage 2 Hybrids serve in a Courtly manner, and they exclusively wear the official regalia of their position.
In their own communities or around dragons, they don't generally wear clothing. They don't want to block their scent from potentially finding their dragon and enhancing their status.
Common Taboos
Even more than normal Zanth, Oaths made by a Stage 2 Hybrid are sacrosanct, unbreakable. Even more than with normal Zanth, the practice of locking a Hybrid into dishonorable service through a malicious oath has been curtailed enthusiastically and aggressively. Members of House Ruby, who are among the most staunch and militant followers of the Obsidian Throne, take the dishonorable forcing of an oath onto a Hybrid as a personal affront, and one which they will deal with guns blazing. Entire crime syndicates have been wiped out to the last member over such things. The message is quite clear: don't fuck with the Courts and their servants.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Zanth, and by extension the Stage 2 Hybrids, are well regarded by most species in the Empire, and are treated with respect or fear by those outside it. Even the sergal fear and respect Zanth because of their raw martial prowess. Zanth are generally friendly and helpful, and despite their large and imposing appearances, they really are the "teddy bears" they look like.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Genetic Descendants
Scientific Name
Ursus Sapiens Superior
Origin/Ancestry
Show spoiler
Genetic meddling with the base Zanth genetic code by Kitsune and/or the Mother
Lifespan
30000 to 50000 years.
Average Height
3.0 m to 3.3 m
Average Weight
350 kg
Average Length
n/a
Average Physique
The average Stage 2 Hybrid is as strong as the top power lifters. On average, they can lift anything even the strongest human can, and they are equivalent to their revered Obsidians.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Stage 2 Hybrid fur coloration is exclusively black and very dark brown and always solid patterned. But this is before personal body modifications are considered.
Related Organizations
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